Christianity - A Progressive Faith (1. Introduction)

Throughout my ministry as a priest, there has always been nagging doubts about what beliefs and practices help to build and strengthen faith, and are credible, as opposed to those beliefs. which fail to do either of those things because they are no longer credible. The picture of God I have in my mind when I engage in prayer is not that of a supreme human - like figure who sits beyond the scope of human sight, manipulating us like puppets, God is the mysterious, inexplicable ground of all being; He is within me as Soul and Spirit, and He is all around me in the world, a world which has evolved over millions of years. Not having the benefit of modern science, early human beings expressed this mythically using a period of 7 days.

The bible remains a most amazing collection of writings comprising history, poetry, myths, songs and prayers. The Old Testament was a sacred book for the Jewish people, and when the books of the. New Testamenr were added, the bible became the sacred book of Christian churches. It is confusing and I believe misleading to say that the bible is true. It I is true only in the sense that its writers wrote down the truth as they knew and experienced it. The awe and wonder they felt when they looked all around and realised what God had achieved in 7 days was no more or no less than the humility we feel when we learn about the evolutionary process of which we are a part.

It is of course Jesus, the human child of Mary and Joseph, Jesus who worked diligently with his father for 30 years, Jesus who experienced an inner call to use his gifts in the service of God and his neighbour, Jesus who gave his life in the cause of truth, justice and freedom, Jesus who is as alive in us today as he was to the first Christians.

I belong to the Progressive Christian Network (pcnbritain) who express their mission in the following words:

'Members of the Progressive Christianity Netwotk seek a credible and inclusive way to follow Jeeus. We are not afraid to question traditional church teaching. We value contemporary thought and recent-biblical understanding. We do not offer a set of answers but invite you to join us in asking the questions. 

Over the next few weeks I will examine each of the 8 points, concluding with the affirmation: Christianity is a progressive faith.

THE 8 Points

We are people who

1. Seek God, however understood, guided by the life and teachings of Jesus 
2. Affirm that there are many ways to experience the Sacred and that we can draw on diverse sources of wisdom on our spiritual journeys.
3. Recognise that following Jesus leads us to act with compassion and to confront evil.
4. Place hospitality at the centre of our communal and worshipping life and see the sharing of bread and wine as an expression of our common humanity.
5. Seek to build communities that accept all who wish to share companionship without insisting on conformity.
6. Know that the way we behave towards others is the fullest expression of our faith.
7. Gain more insights in the search for understanding than we do in certainty.
8. Work together within and beyond the Church to achieve a just, peaceful and sustainable world.